The Top 5 Behavioural Issues Reported by Dog Owners and how to address them

by Tracy McQuarrie

We love our canines as family but sometimes when in the company of other people we may need to say the inevitable “no” and ‘”down”. We reached out to Tracy Mcquarrie to find out what the best way to get the pooch off the person and change other behavioural issues owners generally struggle with.

    1. Jumping up on people is one of the most common complaints one hears from dog owners. Understanding the motive behind jumping up will help to correct the issue. In most cases, dogs jumping up is an attention seeking behaviour which unfortunately, is inadvertently reinforced every time we push the dog down or tell him not to jump. A dog does not recognize the difference between a good or a bad behaviour, he only understands the consequence of the behaviour. By pushing the dog down, he has gained our attention – exactly what he wanted !

    Teaching the dog a mutually exclusive behaviour (MEB) i.e. a behaviour totally different to jumping up – will help to correct this issue. Teach the dog a solid sit and cue him to sit each time he tries to jump up. Reward him handsomely with a tasty treat when he sits. He will soon learn that coming up to you and sitting calmly is far more rewarding than jumping up, and he has also got your attention.

    2. Pulling and lunging while on lead. Dogs natural and instinctive desire to explore and sniff, makes walking calmly at your side a somewhat difficult behaviour for them to master. There are a number of different methods used by dog trainers to teach a dog loose lead walking.

    One method is the random direction change and should be practiced in the garden without any distractions, before venturing into the street or going to the park.

    “At meal times place his bowl in a quiet area away from other dogs or anything he feels may be threat and allow him to eat without interruption. When he has finished and moved away you can collect the bowl.”

    Start by walking, on a full-length lead, slowly around the garden and randomly changing direction every few steps. Reward the dog with a treat when changing direction and the lead is slack. Use a cue like “yes” and reward the dog when he makes eye contact. Continue doing this, but increase the number of steps you take before changing direction. Now start walking in a straight line, if the lead goes tight stop and wait for the dog to figure out what to do to make you move again. When he turns and looks at you give your cue word and reward him. Remember turning and looking at you will make the lead go slack and that is what you are wanting to achieve. Now repeat the process but when you reward, do so by holding the treat at your side making the dog come back to you. He will soon learn that being next to you on a loose lead is more rewarding then pulling and straining on a tight lead.

    Lunging at other dogs, people etc. while on lead is often unintentionally reinforced by the handler. The dog shows interest in another dog for example, and the handler immediately pulls the dog away. This causes frustration as the dog becomes more determined to try and reach the other dog and is constantly pulled away. Frustration like this will almost always result in reactive/aggressive behaviour. Good and correct socialising at the puppy stage is essential to help prevent this behaviour .If you are wary or uncertain of how to introduce your dog to unfamiliar dogs, people etc. it may be wise to get help from an approved positive reinforcement dog trainer.

    3. Not coming when called. This behaviour has the potential to be extremely dangerous. A dog running off into a busy street for example could have severe consequences. Having a strong bond with your dog will help with teaching a solid recall. A chase recall is often used to teach the dog to come to you when cued to do so. With the dog on a long lead, place a marker cone or something similar on the ground. Around the marker place some tasty treats. While the dog is eating the treats move a few meters away, immediately the dog finishes the treats and looks up run in the opposite direction and call him, as soon as he reaches you reward him with a treat. Repeat this exercise, increasing the distance you move away from him while he is eating the initial treats. The dog will soon learn that coming to you when he is called is far more rewarding then running off.

    Tip – This exercise needs to be generalized i.e. practice it on lead in a number of different areas to make the recall solid.

    4. Resource guarding. Although this is an undesirable behaviour, it is a normal behaviour among animals and humans alike – we lock our houses when going out, we lock our cars when they are unattended – this is all a form of resource guarding, with our dogs it is most often food they guard but it can included toys, beds, furniture, or anything the dog feels is his. An option here is to offer the dog something of a higher value than the item he is guarding. For example, if he has a toy in his mouth and is being reactive towards you taking it from him, throw some treats on the ground a short distance from him; when he drops the toy and goes to eat the treats you can retrieve the toy. You can also add a cue like ‘drop’ to the action so he learns to “exchange” the item he has for a treat on command.

    If your dog has a tendency to guard his food bowl, it is often easier to control and manage (C & M) the behaviour. At meal times place his bowl in a quiet area away from other dogs or anything he feels may be threat and allow him to eat without interruption. When he has finished and moved away you can collect the bowl.

    5. Separation anxiety is a vast subject and can stem from both clinical and behavioural issues. If you suspect your dog has a separation disorder, the first thing to do is have the dog checked by a veterinarian. Dogs displaying this disorder, do so in a variety of ways, excessive vocalizing, destructive chewing, digging to name but a few. They all however, have one the thing in common, the behaviour is exhibited when they are left on their own at home. If your dog has separation anxiety then, unfortunately, it is unlikely to “grow out of it”.

    A systematic desensitisation program often coupled with medication provides the best option for success and although it can often be a long and drawn-out process, the success rate is good. Getting professional help from a qualified animal behaviourist is often the best way to deal with this type of disorder.

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